Menu

horror comedy

Having been preoccupied with a little thing called the Spider-Man trilogy, Sam Raimididn’t really get a chance to relive his days of horror, did he? Yes, the trilogy of Spider-Man movies were a lot of fun, but we all love Raimi for his original trilogy – the horror series known to the world as The Evil Dead. It wasn’t until 2009, that we got classicRaimi back with a fun house of a ride surrounding a demonic gypsy curse. It’s no Deadite, but I could accept it. I was curious, and almost felt like I needed to know what this movie was going to be, because almost every review I saw online, was negative, and talked about how bad it was.. I was planning on seeing this movie and taking it with a grain of salt, because I was worried why such negativity surrounded a movie. I planned on finding out; and that movie, was Drag Me To Hell!

Now, maybe I’m just a big fan of Raimi‘s, but from the intense opening scene to the shocking finale, Sam Raimi gave us a movie that feels like he’s finally returning to the horror genre with vigor and spark! Starring Alison Lohman in the leading role, [Ellen Page was originally cast as the lead but dropped out of the project early in production]Drag Me To Hellfeels like it’s much more than your average, predictable horror popcorn flick. Even if it’s not. It’s filledwith twists and turns and, like any good ride, a satisfying conclusion to keep you happy by the end of the credits. Also, about the PG-13 rating? Don’t even worry about it! One thing that helped was the story telling, to the point where you hardly notice it’s rating because of how immersed you become in the story.

The movie follows Christine, a loan officer at a bank with a boyfriend who absolutely cares for her and her well being. Christine ends up being considered for a promotion at work, so – like anyone else – decides that she should jump at the opportunity! [I mean, who wouldn’t?] We meet our “villain”, when she comes across an old gypsy woman [who has one of my favorite movie names: Mrs. Ganush] who requests a third extension on her house. Her boss tells her it’s a tough decision, but that it’s her call if she’ll grant the extension. In an act of showing her boss that she isn’t afraid to take risks, Christinerefuses the woman’s payment. Unfortunately, this leaves Mrs. Ganushabsolutelyinfuriated, to the point where this woman stalks Christine to her car after work and puts a supernatural curse on her, one which she claims gives her only three days to overcome before the spirits from below will come, and drag her soul to hell.

Perhaps the most shocking thing about the movie is how well it’s made technically. It had all sorts of interesting shots and the real work of a someone who knows horror. Having both written and directed the film, Sam Raimi more than proves his worth to the genre, despite disappearing from the horror scene, since Army Of Darkness. In ways, Drag Me To Hell felt like a sort of revival of what people with think of PG-13 horror movies. It’s one of the more intense films to come from the Raimi brothers, despite the PG-13 rating which is why I think most people tagged it as garbage without a second thought. Unfortunate, really.

As a whole, the movie is full of its shocks, and the less you know about it, the better. I could go on for hours about the movie and spoil everything, but that would ruin some of its ‘magic’. Which is certainly not to say that it is lost after a first viewing, just that it’s an experience unlike any other going into this movie watching virtually no clips and reading very little about it. It becomes a truly rewarding experience for the viewer.

Mrs. Ganush is one of the best villains though, as she provides plenty of jumps. Lorna Raver, who plays Ganush, infuses the role with an enthusiasm that is rarely seen in big-screen baddies. She has more personality than some other horror villains I can think of.. Clay – Christine‘s boyfriend – provides a much-needed balance between the overly goofy and the horrific, and helps make the film’s heroine, Christine, all the more believable. Clay was played by Justin Long and despite the nature of his role, I really liked him in this movie. He made the sincerity of his character feel “real”. Lohman had a lot resting on her shoulders with this movie, and she totally pulled it off! She plays the terrified, but headstrong and determined female lead really well, to the point where you feel her pain. She proves her worth over and over again in this movie. She totally has a career ahead of her, even if we don’t see it yet.

Overall, I wouldn’t call this movie terrifying, but it is extremely enjoyable! It has horror, it has gore, and it’s very over the top; like the old Evil Dead days. It’s something that people discredited too quickly, and that’s unfortunate – because it’s not as terrible as everyone likes to claim. So watch Drag Me To Hell, you won’t be disappointed..unless you have really high expectations. It does feel over the top, and strange at times; but that’s all what Raimi is known for – you really have to like this kind of style to truly appreciate this film for what it is!

Also, If you have an idea for the nextweirdo’ween review[s],please let me know which movie[s] you’d like to see next! If you found yourself to enjoy this particular review – and want to see more – then take a minute and follow me over on my Facebook page[it’s at over 120+ likes almost at 130!] By clicking that “like” button, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been posted online; as well as links to articles and pictures/videos that will not be featured here on the blog. Every “like” helps me a ton, giving me the ability to write more posts for you to read, so be sure to tell the horror enthusiast in your life to do the same, and share The Facebook Page with your family and friends! Join me tomorrow when I talk about weirdo’ween #27! – so be sure to STAY TUNED!

I sure hope you’re all excited because for today’s review, I’m writing something special: something that isn’t released until October 27th, 2015! This means, it’s a film I received in the mail, and it’s not just a horror movie – it’s a horror comedy. [and not a boring, generic one either!] I watched it yesterday, and I can hereby say it’s crude, dirty, inappropriate, and down right hilarious! [fun for the whole family?] It makes fun of contemporary issues involving freedom of speech, has a romantic sub-plot that isn’t boring, and some very special effects. Oh! and it’s also a Canadian film, so that earns it points in it’s own right! This movie, is none other than Bloody Knuckles!

Bloody Knuckles follows Travis, an underground comic book artist who happens to enjoy drawing anything, and everything; that could be considered obscene. But, when one of his comics insults a Chinatown crime boss, a gangster punishes Travis by sawing his his drawing hand clean off – leaving him with nothing but a stump. Naturally, this leaves Travis to retreat into a life of alcoholism, and it seems that he’s given up on drawing comics. After all, the last thing he needs is his other hand cut off! But suddenly, his hand returns from the grave..and wants vengeance! Although I had heard nothing about this movie prior – not even the trailer! – but after watching it in full; I was really glad to receive this one – because it’s quality entertainment! I know what you’re thinking: a cut off hand, running around and causing havoc.. sounds a lot like a certain other horror movie, doesn’t it? Something like..Idle Hands? While some aspects may seem similar, Bloody Knuckles stands as it’s own film, and it’s one hell of a ride!

First of all, it goes without saying that this film delivers a strong moral to each and every one of it’s viewers: don’t draw an underground comic about a Chinese crime lord or you’ll get your hand severed with a portable band saw! [as if this wasn’t already obvious] It’s an easy enough thing to learn, since that’s the lesson learned by our ‘hero’, Travis, when the latest issue of his indie comic – titled Vulgar Invasions – catches the eye of a Mr. Leonard Fong: a ruthless businessman and the head of a violent street gang. There’s a ton of nods back to older 80s horror, such as the over the top acting and the excessive blood spilling. However, the most 80s thing about this movie is the gang members, who look awesomewhile being decked out in tank tops, dragon bandannas, and other “hood” attire. If you look carefully enough, one of them even wears chain-mail! It’s absolutely ridiculous, and it’s so awesome to see in action!

It all starts when Fong doesn’t like what he sees in Travis’ comic. Naturally, like every other crime boss you can think of, Fong has him abducted and responds in kind by sawing his his drawing hand off – as a “warning.” The severed hand is then thrown into the nearby sewer and Travis is left physically – and emotionally – crippled. He turns to malt liquor [a lot of it] for comfort. After one particularly drunken night out on the town, after getting kicked out of his local bar, his lost hand returns to try and persuade Travis to get revenge on Fong and continue work on the comic series together that they started so long ago. With a somewhat crude mind of its own, Travis’ undead hand is both a friend andan enemy, who seems to always have the best intentions in mind ..maybe.

One of the cool concepts this movie plays around with is the idea that when the undead hand first arrives, it makes it way to communicating with Travis through a Text-To-Speak program on the computer. It makes it seem quirky, and almost unexpected. But, I guess if you’re a sentient hand; [kind of like The Addams Family‘s Thing] you have to find ways to “talk”. The humor in the movie feels like it’s a finely tuned blend of absurd, gross, and surprisingly clever; though at times the film does try to be too inappropriate. For example, there’s a character that’s like who looks like Lord Humungus’ homosexual brother – though I feel like that was intentional. [the character in this movie goes by the name of Homo Dynamous: see the similarities yet?] But, aside from the gory and funny aspects, Bloody Knuckles has a story to tell and it tells it well. Travis’ relationship with his stepbrother is genuinely endearing, and his blossoming romance with Amy, a young journalist doing a story on his comic is just plain adorable! [let’s be honest though, Amy – is pretty damn hot]

In the end, Bloody Knuckles is a really fun film to watch. I’m so thankful to Artsploitation Filmsfor sending me a copy on Bluray, and I’m hoping to see more from the Director, especially being a Canadian myself! It’s a crude, gory, and enjoyable movie to watch with friends, or even to laugh at on your own. It’s definitely not for everyone [some of those jokes will offend someone] but if you can handle racist jokes that result in someone’s hand being chopped off; you’re in for a special treat this Halloween!

If you have an idea for the nextweirdo’ween review[s],please let me know which movie[s] you’d like to see next! If you found yourself to enjoy this particular review – and want to see more – then take a minute and follow me over on my Facebook page[it’s at over 120+ likes almost at 130!] By clicking that “like” button, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been posted online; as well as links to articles and pictures/videos that will not be featured here on the blog. Every “like” helps me a ton, giving me the ability to write more posts for you to read, so be sure to tell the horror enthusiast in your life to do the same, and share The Facebook Page with your family and friends! Join me tomorrow morning when I talk about weirdo’ween #24! – So STAY TUNED!

As most of you know, I’m a fairly big fan of Monster films. Frankensteinstands as one of my all time favorites, and the Universal Monster films are something that deserve all the love they got when they were first released. [I’m even trying to collect them all on Blu ray. Slowly] If you had friends who liked the same topic, such as films, as well, chances are; you’d probably make a club dedicated to said topic. It could be about anything really: comics, movies, video games; you get the idea. Can you imagine a club dedicated to monsters! Now, that would be an awesome club to be part of: but what would you name it? Monster Madness? The Miniature Monsters? Oh I got it! Why not: The Monster Squad? Wait..that’s probably already taken.. In light of us trying to figure out a monster club name, let’s talk about a monster movie from the late ’80s that has not one but four different monsters in it – and the kids who try to stop them! That movie, is none other than The Monster Squad!

The Monster Squad was directed by Fred Dekkar, a man you probably recognize as the Director of another 80s classic horror, Night Of The Creeps. TheMonster Squad though, follows in the tradition as a horror-comedy film about a gang of grade-school kids who save their town from Dracula and his band of goons. Although it’s a fun film, The Monster Squad is no doubt, a much more enjoyable movie than Night Of The Creeps.

In the movie, The Monster Squad refers to a tree house club of five kids who call themselves horror fanatics. They have comic books, magazines, and posters scattered all over this little tree house of theirs. Unbeknownst to them, their enthusiasm toward the genre they love so dearly, would suddenlycome in handy as their town in abruptly invaded by Dracula[and a few other memorable horror villains] in their most classic form. According to the story we’re given at the beginning of the movie, Drac is terrorizing the town only because he’s trying to locate a powerful amulet which has the potential for ruling the world type business. It’s when no one else believes the kids, or when no one else is powerful enough to stop them using traditional crime fighting methods [if we can be honest, arresting the Wolfman didn’t work out as effectively as the cops hoped], it’s up to The Monster Squad[with the help of Frankenstein, who decides to switch sides!] to save the day! The film is filled with great scenes as well, especially with memorable characters. Take Boo Radley for example, he’s a strange recluse of a man who all the kids fear without knowing why. [he’s just an old man who lives a few houses down from the kids] in one particular scene, when we learn that Sean, the leader of The Monster Squad, is given a book [that his mother got from a flea market?] that can explain why the monsters are reappearing in modern 1987, he has no choice but to seek the man’s help. As it turns out, the book is in German, which definitely confirms that the team of kids needBoo Radley. Not only does this “scary man” speak the language written inside, he kindly offers to help them get through the important passages in the book! Also, it happens that he knows what monsters are.. If you’re going to watch this with a younger audience, you probably will need to explain to your kids what the numbers tattooed on the scary mans forearm are..moving on.

you can’t say this isn’t the coolest group of kids ever.. I’d join their club!

The Monster Squad was done in the most positive light possible – it didn’t talk down to kids and put them in control when the adults wouldn’t believe them that Monsters were taking over their town. Plus, there were other monster references besides the scary ones! The children, kids and teens cast in this film were adorable and cast properly: there was the smart leader type kid who was obsessed with monsters, your typical “fat” kid, – who’s known as fat kid – the adorable little girl/sister type who wants to be a part of everything her older brothers and his friends did, and shy little boy who was really the coolest of them all! Shane Black, who was a popular screenwriter of the 80’s, knew what he was doing with this one; and Fred Dekker directed his young group really well. The movie never felt silly, it was a believable kids’ world where kids were the heroes of the day, and the parents were thankful they were..cause let’s be honest, the parents had no clue what to do.

By keeping the film true to all the rules of the classic Universal Monsterfilms, which is the main reason why this film works so well. Dekker manages to ensure that the film will appeal to two of the major horror audiences; fans of the classics that will appreciate the plot and humor, and younger kids, who are bound to get a kick out of the characters and their witty dialogue. It’s something, for everyone. Be warned though, the film isvery short, running at just over eighty minutes, but it has enough to keep everyone satisfied, with enough screen time for all the different monsters. What made this movie so special is it felt like we were seeing a “what if” The Goonies took on the old monsters.. Not to mention, the movie has arguable one of the coolest lines in film history; “Wolfman’s got nards!”, It’s a very 80s movie, but it’s all part of it’s charm.

So check out The Monster Squad! It’s the perfect blend of monster madness and child like wonder. It also includes a ton of references to older horror films, so it really is something for everyone! It’s cheesy, but in the best way possible, so if you’re looking for gorier films; you’re going to be missing out on this one! But, If you have an idea for the nextweirdo’ween review[s],please let me know which movie[s] you’d like to see next! If you found yourself to enjoy this particular review – and want to see more – then take a minute and follow me over on my Facebook page[it’s at over 120+ likes almost at 130!] By clicking that “like” button, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been posted online; as well as links to articles and pictures/videos that will not be featured here on the blog. Every “like” helps me a ton, giving me the ability to write more posts for you to read, so be sure to tell the horror enthusiast in your life to do the same, and share The Facebook Page with your family and friends! Join me tomorrow morning when I talk about weirdo’ween #18! – STAY TUNED!

We’ve all heard of local legends/ghost stories surrounding our town. Whether it’s Bloody Mary or the Boogyman, there’s always one that stands out amongst the rest. It doesn’t matter what the story is behind the legend, one fact remains the same: the “spirit” of the legend will never die, unless they’re put to rest. Enter our crew of tourists. They decide to go on a boat ride on the haunted waters of the Louisiana bayous where they learn the terrifying tale of local legend Victor Crowley. According to the stories, Victor is a horribly disfigured man who was tragically and accidentally killed with a hatchet by the hands of his own father. But when their boat sinks and the ghost story turns out to be a real thing, the group tries desperately to escape the swamp with their lives…and all of their pieces. That’s right everyone, today we’re talking about Adam Green‘s classic 80s throwback horror slasher: Hatchet. What makes this review so special, is that I’m going to be reviewing it’s sequels: Hatchet IIand Hatchet IIItomorrow, and Thursday respectively! But today; we’re starting at the very beginning of this trilogy: the way it was meant to be.

Hatchet begins in Louisiana during Mardi Gras with two friends walking around the streets, with another part of the opening already including a cameo from Robert Englund and Tony Todd. [though Englund gets killed off in the first 10 minutes.. talk about a risky move!] These two guys are down for spring break and after deciding they’ve had enough of Mardi Gras, decide the next course of action is to take a haunted swamp ride; headed by Reverend Zombie. This is where we meet the core group of people we will be following for the rest of the film.

As they travel out farther out into the far reaches of the swamp, their guide starts talking about the local legend of a man known as VictorCrowley. Though no one believes him, [at first] the guide starts looking, and acting, like he has absolutely no idea what he is doing.. Which he later admits to, saying it was a way to make a few extra bucks. The boat eventually ends up sinking in the middle of the swamp and the boarders of the boat learn that they are officially in Victor Crowley‘s territory. With no help coming anytime soon, and little [to no] cell phone service, it looks like the only way off the island they landed on is to take the path behind the old Crowley home; where his spirit is rumored to be still living after his father accidentally hit him in the face with a hatchet..

a face only a father could love.

Hatchet is what some would call a blood soaked love letter to the campy horror-slasher films of the ’80s. It pays homage to films like Friday The 13th and Sleepaway Camp, all while catering to the fans who love a good old-fashioned gore fest, with the occasional set of boobs of course. When I first bought this movie, I hadn’t even seen it yet; I bought it blindly because I had heard so many good things! Of course, I was notdisappointed. The important thing about the movie is to not take it seriously, not even 10 minutes in, and you can tell that it was definitely not meant to be. It’s a very campy film, but that’s because it’s supposed to be that way. There are also plenty of hilarious in jokes that will get you laughing, further proving the not so serious tone. The film’s set-up is repetitive, the dialogue is corny, and the special effects [while over the top]are great. That’s what makes it fun to watch: it’s fun. You can’t go into this movie expecting some great masterpiece or even a really goodhorror movie; You’re supposed to go into this movie expecting a campy gore-fest that you can laugh at.. because of how ridiculous it is! and yes – this is a good thing!

From start to finish – all 84 minutes of Hatchet is pure slasher goodness. Rather than being just a stale homage to the franchise films that dominated his childhood, you can tell that Adam Green has actually created an character all his own, that pays loving tribute, rather than references to other horror icons. While Victor Crowley might never reach the heights of Freddy, Jason or Michael, he’s certainly the stuff fan-favorites are made of: a unique monster with an easy to remember name, with some unique kills under his belt! You just can’t go wrong with a horror movie made by a horror movie fan with outrageous effects. It’s the perfect movie to put on during a Friday night, and it’s certainly one of the finest modern slashers to come along in a recent history.

The problem is, a lot of people didn’t like Hatchet.. but forget them! If you like slashers, and over the top gore; you’ll have a blast with this movie. It has a bit of everything for everyone: boobs, gore, funny moments, and cameos galore! Please.. check out Hatchet, you’ll have a great time, and you won’t regret it!

and another thing! If you have an idea for the nextweirdo’ween review please let me know which movie[s] you’d like to see next! If you found yourself to enjoy this particular review – and want to see more – then take a minute and follow me over on my Facebook page[it’s at over 120+ likes almost at 130!] By clicking that “like” button, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been posted online; as well as links to articles and pictures/videos that will not be featured here on the blog. Every “like” helps me a ton, giving me the ability to write more posts for you to read, so be sure to tell the horror enthusiast in your life to do the same, and share The Facebook Page with your family and friends! Join me tomorrow morning when I talk about weirdo’ween #14 – which, as discussed above, will be Hatchet II! – STAY TUNED!

writer’s note: I understand this was technically supposed to come out yesterday, but since I had my family had it’s Thanksgiving dinner last night, I had no choice but to wait until now for #11. Tonight, I will be writing up #12, and tomorrow morning will be #13; therefore, everything will be on track again.

Meet Tucker and Dale: two lovable hillbillies from West Virginia. They’re best friends and do everything together. This weekend, they are planning on headin’ to their “fixer-upper” vacation cabin [that Tucker just bought] to drink some beer, do some fishin’, and have an all around good time. Y’know, Hillbilly stuff.. I don’t know much about that lifestyle, but from what I gather; they’re pretty laid back people. But when they run into a group of preppy college kids who assume from their looks that they must be in-bred, chainsaw wielding killers, Tucker & Dale‘s vacation takes a bloody [and hilarious] turn for the worse..and that’s what our movie today is about: the unexpected situations that they fall into – even if all they wanted was a get away from society for a few days! As I shared on Facebook yesterday, today’s movie review is on none other than Tucker and Dale VS Evil.

As I said, the movie revolves around two hilarious hillbillies: Tucker and Dale, who just want to have a weekend away from society at their “Vacation Home”. Shortly after they arrive, a group of College kids show up at a nearby camp and immediately wrongly assuming Tucker and Dale are psychotic rednecks out to murder them. [you know, because of course they are..] Considering that their property is filled with tools for renovations, such as chainsaws and a wood chipper, it’s not long before the comedy and gruesome carnage start, proving the line it blurs between horror and comedy! Like Shaun Of The Dead and Zombieland did for their respective genres, Tucker and Dale feels like it fits right in, being one of the funniest and surprising movies in recent years! [it was shelved for three years before it’s initial release..why it was, I’ll never know] One thing that makes it so entertaining, from a horror perspective is, the amount of mistakes that result in alot of gory [and creative] deaths for the dim-witted college kids! I mean, one dives head first into the wood chipper while trying to stab Tucker! [and because he tries to pull the kid out, it looks like he’s pushing him farther in! Yeah, comedy gold, kids!]

But what makes this movie special is the obvious relationship between Tucker and Dale themselves. The two are sweet, helpful, and hopelessly clueless guys who are only involved because of the disaster that the College kids created around them.. One message that certainly comes across loud and clear [yet, subconsciously at the same time] is that appearances can be deceiving and that you shouldn’t judge a proverbial book by the cover.. Because people are still their own individuals and not just the stereotypes they portray. That’s right, Tucker and Dale VS Evil comes with a lesson to be learned!

The movie actually has a lot to say about stereotypes, and not just the ones I mentioned above. But it also mentions how people project onto others those stereotypes, and their own inner “dark sides” come about based on those stereotypes. Being as it’s also a horror film, there is definitely blood and gore involved, but the violence is presented in such a comedic way, you almost laugh when it comes up..it’s not scary in the slightest. I remember the first time I watched it [Netflix!] and thought: this is surprisingly, a really good movie. It’s depressing to think [and realize] that we probably won’t be getting a sequel, but if enough of us protest..maybe? [I really want a sequel, guys..]

So please, check out Tucker and Dale VS Evil; it’s funny, it’s gory, but most of all – it has heart. It’s unfortunate that it wasn’t recognized as much, but it may be because of the fact that it didn’t get a wide-spread release! [tell everyone about it!] What makes the film so much fun is the stereotyping it picks at, and the hilarious deaths make it all the more worthwhile. Even without a chance at sequel, [though, if one did appear I’d be happy!] it’s a fun film for everyone – even if you aren’t that into horror as a genre.

Another thing! If you have an idea for the nextweirdo’ween review please let me know which movie[s] you’d like to see next! If you found yourself to enjoy this particular review – and want to see more – then take a minute and follow me over on my Facebook page[it’s at over 120+ likes almost at 130!] By clicking that “like” button, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been posted online; as well as links to articles and pictures/videos that will not be featured here on the blog. Every “like” helps me a ton, giving me the ability to write more posts for you to read, so be sure to tell the horror enthusiast in your life to do the same, and share The Facebook Page with your family and friends! Join me tonight when I talk about weirdo’ween #12! STAY TUNED!

Everyone wants a pet. Some like dogs, others like the easy job of watching over a cat, and others – like a certain friend of mine – prefers reptiles! [like snakes, and lizards, and stuff] But then you get BillyPeltzer: a young man who works at a bank and lives at home. He has a dog, and was living a completely normal life..until Christmas.What Billy receives is something called a Mogwai. That’s right, everyone; today we are talking about not one, but two films that I used to watch so much, I was convinced I was going to own a Mogwai for myself! Except I didn’t; and thatstill bugs me to this day.. I mean, I even did my firstFriday Fun Fact on the first movie! That should show my dedication! [check it out here!]

Everybody, and I meaneverybody, has at least heard of the movie Gremlins: it’s a cute story about a cuddly looking Mogwai named Gizmo who has a specific set of rules attached to him: [1] no bright lights, [2] don’t get him wet, and [3] never feed him after midnight, no matter how much he begs! These rules were set in place for the reasons: bright light physically hurts him, and sunlight can kill him. If he gets wet, he pops out more versions of himself! But most importantly, if fed after midnight, a Mogwai will spin into a cocoon and undergo metamorphosis; turning him into an evil, trouble-making gremlin, causing all sorts of trouble!

The story is a fairly simple one to follow, with it’s somewhat typical monster movie plot. An ordinary guy watches as his unusual but cute pet spawns a horde of evil Gremlins. When he tries to warn the authorities, they don’t believe him until the creatures show up and go on a rampage throughout the town. [sound familiar?] Like in most monster movies, people make a plan to destroy them, which works, mostly; but then that one left which needs to be defeated to consider the evil “finished”. I mean EVERY monster movie convention in the book is used, including all the famous shocks like something jumping out in the foreground and something jumping out in the background, but what makes Gremlins special is the “monsters” have their own personalities. They don’t eat people or kill them in order to survive.. They just want to have fun and cause chaos! [Gremlins Just Wanna Have Fun, anyone?]

And then there’s the sequel, titled Gremlins 2: The New Batch, which takes place only a few years after the events in Gremlins. In this sequel, Billy has moved to New York where he now works for a man by the name of Daniel Clamp. a certain someone gets hit with water, and ends up creating a newGremlin species! Thankfully, unlike the first film, Gizmofinally learns to fight back after the first movie. [if you remember, Gizmo spent most of his time hiding] While the surviving humans fight the gremlins back, the Gremlins and their leader, The Brain Gremlin, are planning to escape when nightfall comes.

Unlike the first Gremlins film, which had a horror undertone to it, this film doesn’t feel scary at all: going full out comedy. Because of this, it’s often looked at as not only the lesser of the two Gremlins flicks but also, not a good movie in general. I just don’t understand why though, I grew up loving this movie! It successfully continues the underlying theme of the original [unlike a lot of sequels which seem to forget their points entirely] and the Gremlins all have their own personalities, which helps us distinguish which ones feel evil, and which ones are evil. The New Batch follows the Gremlins while they’re loose in a totally automated high-rise office building, which is already suffering from its own malfunctions. Naturally, this serves as the perfect “playground” for them. So be sure to check out Gremlins and evenGremlins 2, but chances are – especially if you’re a movie fan – you already have! If you haven’t, then get on that as soon as possible! They’re cheesy, they’re funny, and Mogwai are some of the cutest creatures on the planet.. as long as you follow the rules!

[DID I MENTION SIRCHRISTOPHER LEE APPEARS IN GREMLINS 2?!] So there you have it: not one, but two films that I used to watch so much, I probably broke the family TV.. Also, if you have an idea for the nextweirdo’ween review please let me know which movie[s] you want to see next! If you found yourself to enjoy this particular review – and want to see more – then take a minute and follow me over on my Facebook page[it’s at over 120+ likes almost at 130!] By clicking that “like” button, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been posted online; as well as links to articles and pictures/videos that will not be featured here on the blog. Every “like” helps me a ton, giving me the ability to write more posts for you to read, so be sure to tell the horror enthusiast in your life to do the same, and share The Facebook Page with your family and friends! Join me tomorrow when I talk about weirdo’ween #09! STAY TUNED!

Being as it’s October now, and the days are getting colder as they go along, I figured we should talk about the impending snow fall that is going to eventually be headed our way. I know, I know; it’s something that people hate but – at least for us in North America – it’s usually only a once a year kind of season. However, snow isn’t all bad, it gives us the chance to do things we wouldn’t do otherwise. Things like: snowboarding, snowmobiling, skiing, and best of all – sit around a fireplace at the local cottage.

This is where today’s movie[s] comes in: It follows a group of medical students: Martin, Roy and Erlend who travel with their friend Vegard to meet with their girlfriends: Hanna, Liv and Chris; to spend Easter vacation in an isolated cabin in the wilderness in Øksfjord. It’s not a deserted cabin though, like most movies; this one belongs to Vegard‘s girlfriend Sara, who recently went missing. Today’s movie [and it’s sequel] comes all the way from Norway and is none other than Dead SnowandDead Snow 2. Being as this is technically two reviews in one, I’ll try and tie them together, making this review slightly longer than usual.

Starting with Dead Snow, the movie opens with a unnamed woman being chased through the snowy hills of Norway. By the the time she finally stops running, she finds herself cornered and eaten by zombies in World War II German uniforms.. I mean, jeez, this movie does not wait around – it gets right into it!

The movie then cuts to seven medical students on who are all on Easter vacation. [as I mentioned above!] The group arrive at a small cabin near Øksfjord, which they explain is about a 45-minute walk from the road where they have left their cars. [well, there’s movie trope/mistake number one!] The cabin they plan to stay at is owned by Sara, a friend of the other seven students who is Vegard‘s girlfriend – who we find out is one of the group’s members with the most knowledge of the wilderness. However, Sara has been skiing across the mountains to find her way to the rest of the friends, but hasn’t arrived yet.. well – dammit.

Like typical students, the group start to drink [and party] until a mysterious man arrives at their door. He explains to them the dark history of the land they’re ‘relaxing’ at; according to this man, during World War II, a force of “Einsatzgruppen” led by the dreaded Standartenführer Herzog occupied and claimed the area. During three long years, the Nazis abused and tortured the local people, and near the end of the war, with Germany’s defeat coming close, Herzog‘s men looted all their valuables, before ultimately leaving the region. The citizens managed to start an uprising to ambush the Nazis, and actually defeated a lot of them, not all, but a lot. The surviving Nazis, including Herzog, were all chased into the mountains. Being as they never returned, it was assumed by locals that they all froze to death. According to the stranger, the area still has an evil reputation by people, and after leaving that story in the minds of our main cast, he leaves. Naturally though, the mysterious man is soon murdered by zombies while camping in the snow.

The next morning Sara has still not arrived and Vegard takes the group’s snowmobile to look for her. He finds the body of the hiker in his tent, only to fall through snow into a small cave below. Back at the cabin, the other students find an old wooden box filled with valuables such as jewels and coins hidden under the floorboards of the cabin. They consider taking and selling it, but eventually put it back, although some of them keep items. Soon enough, we see Erlend get killed as well – in the best way possible: to summarize, through out the movie, Erlend is seen wearing a Dead Alive shirt, and his death sequence is a direct copy of the first death scene in the movieDead Alive! Check it out!

This film is filled with blood, guts, and it’s extremely over the top. Making this movie more comedy than horror. It has a lot of call backs to other horror films including Evil Dead 2, [I mean, Martin cuts his entire arm off – with a chainsaw – sound familiar?!] and Dead Alive – as I mentioned above. This is not a bad thing though, it’s actually a lot of fun to watch: and a good choice if you’re trying to introduce someone to horror! But this movie also ends on a cliff-hanger with Martin finally realizing that the zombies are after their stolen loot and not out to kill. [unless they have to]Martinfinally gives the box of gold back to Herzog and runs for the cars. However, when he reaches his car, a single coin falls out of Martin‘s pocket. Cursing everything, he looks around..only to see Herzog smashing the car window. AND THAT’S WHEN DEAD SNOW 2 COMES INTO PLAY! But first, let’s quickly check out the trailer for the firstDead Snow film:

Now, onto Part 2! Remember how I said Martin removes his entire arm with a chainsaw? Remember how I said Herzog comes smashing into the car window? Dead Snow 2 starts directly from that point [imagine the credits of the first movie didn’t exist!] At the beginning of this sequel, Herzog is still holding on to Martin‘s car as he tries to escape. An oncoming truck slices off then Herzog‘s arm, which remains in the car with Martin, though he doesn’t think anything of it.. Until Martin is caught in an accident! He wakes in a hospital, and the police [like any sane person] don’t believe his stories about zombies and try to charge him with the murder of his friends. Also, Martin finds that one of the surgeon’s has [mistakenly] attached Herzog‘s arm to his stump..well, dammit. As we probably all expected the zombie arm goes berserk and attacks everyone within it’s reach. After Martin kills several people against his will, he is sedated and strapped tightly to the bed.

We then see Bobby, a kid American tourist, who sneaks into Martin‘s room when he hears rumors of a zombie attack. Impressed with Martin‘s zombie arm, [rather than, I don’t know, be scared?] Bobby frees Martin and tells him about “The Zombie Squad“, who; as Bobby claims are American professional zombie hunters. Before Bobby can contact them though, [wait hold on..how did this kid get their number? It’s not like they have a website…do they?]Martin‘s new zombie arm throws Bobby out the hospital window! Panicked, Martin follow to where Bobby would have landed and gives the kid CPR. The zombie arm instead crushes Bobby‘s chest, killing the kid instantly. [I mean, what the fuck?! Child-killing? Blasphemy!]Martin escapes the police, who believe him to be a child killer, [well – he technically is a child killer – even if not on purpose] and decides to use the kid’s phone to talk with The Zombie Squad, who promise to come to Norway and help with his “zombie problem”. In the meantime, they ask Martin to find out what Herzog wants, because they believe it will help stop the madness. Naturally though, we learn that The Zombie Squad is actually three nerdy friends: Daniel, Monica, and Blake.

At a World War II museum in the town – which feels very convenient – Martin meets one of the greatest character in this film: Glenn. After using the zombie arm to intimidate him, Glenn tells Martin about Herzog‘s history: according to Glenn, Herzog was originally tasked by Hitlerhimself to wipe out an entire Norwegian town for their anti-Nazi sabotage. Martin quickly concludes that Herzog intends to carry out his orders, but before long, Herzog and his zombies attack a group of tourists who happen to be just outside the museum. After the battle against them, Herzog goes crazy and resurrects more of the dead and takes a World War II-era tank. In order to survive, Martin and Glenn[somehow] escape by pretending to be mannequins in the museum. While looking at the carnage, Martinaccidentally discovers that his zombie arm can also raise the dead. When Daniel[and the other two members of The Zombie Squad] arrives, he kills Martin‘s new sidekick zombie; but Martin demonstrates his newfound power by raising it again! [see picture above]

Martin, Daniel, and the unnamed sidekick zombie work together and find a graveyard where Russian POWs were buried, while Monica, Blake, and Glenn all work to slow down Herzog. In an effort to help out, Monica and Blake convince Glenn to act as bait to draw some of the zombies into a local swamp, where they will kill them with grenades found in the museum. After shooting at them with the tank gun several times, albeit, missing them; Herzog continues on his way. Meanwhile, the others discover the graveyard they read about at the museum, and Martin goes all out and raises an entire troop of Russian zombies. Then, the final battle comes.

The battle is seemingly going well at first, but the Nazi zombies eventually overpower Martin‘s Russian zombies. As the Nazi zombies close in on them, Daniel tells Martin to killHerzog, once and for all. As Daniel attempts to take control of the Nazi zombie’s tank, Martin directly faces Herzog, telling him that he’s lost, and he should surrender [though, I figure Martin plans on killing him either way] Monica and Blake are about to be overwhelmed in the background though when suddenly Daniel fires the tank gun directly at Herzog while Martin keeps him distracted.. In what feels like 100 years, [or in this case: two movies]Herzog is decapitated, which leave his troops falling lifelessly to the ground, thus saving Monica and Blake. After they celebrate, Martin drives to the church where Hanna – Martin‘s girlfriend from the first movie – is buried, digs up her corpse, and brings her back. [as a zombie] The two proceed to kiss and have sex as the sidekick zombie looks on in the distance. what. the. fuck. Also, for those of you holding out for a thirdDead Snow film, we get a post-credits scene! In said scene, we see a Nazi scientist-like zombie holding Herzog‘s “live” head! As I said, these movies are ridiculously gory/bloody. But surprisingly, not scary at all – just violent. They are cheesy, they both have fantastic writing, and I totally recommend watching both – in order. If you were to watch the first film, and then quickly throw in the second without watching the credits, you’d have a full length feature. They are foreign films though, so be warned of the subtitles – if you can handle them, be sure to watch Dead SnowandDead Snow 2: Red VS Dead.[Also, here’s the trailer for the second movie!!]

Now I look to you: are you planning on watching these films? Or have you already seen them? If you have, what did you think? silly, gory, zombie fun? Or are you more of a fan of scary zombies? Let me know in a comment or two! Also, even if I have the first few film reviews planned already, please let me know which movie[s]you want to see reviewed next! If you found yourself to enjoy review – and want to see more – then take a minute and follow me over on my Facebook page[it’s at over 120+ likes almost at 130!] By clicking that “like” button, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been posted online; as well as links to articles and pictures/videos that will not be featured here on the blog. Every “like” helps me a ton, giving me the ability to write more posts for you to read, so be sure to tell the horror enthusiast in your life to do the same, and share The Facebook Page with your family and friends! Join me tomorrow when I post weirdo’ween #04! STAY TUNED!

Do you prefer your films horror-comedy orcomedy-horror? Contrary to popular belief, there actually is a difference; even if you don’t exactly come to realize it. Horror-comedy and comedy-horror fall under two sub-genres that mainstream viewers don’t seem to understand. [Hipsters, I swear!] Lately, it’s as if people just don’t “get it” when something is supposed to be funny in a horror movie. seriously. There’s been so many times in the past where I’ve actually nearly walked out of a theater for one of these films and all I hear is other people complaining that “it wasn’t very scary” or that it was really lame, not realizing that it was trying to be funny. and then there are some people who think that these sub-genres are new or that they invented them.. But I’m here, as your resident weird one saying that there is in fact a difference between horror-comedy and comedy-horror, and I’m interested to know which one you prefer, if you prefer one at all.

Disclaimer: I’m sure I don’t need to explain this to each and every one of you, since I’d assume you are clearly fans of the horror genre if you follow me on here, but let’s at least play catch up for anyone who may not be as horror-savvy as the rest of us.

Horror-comedies are first and foremost: horror movies, but have some comedic elements to go along with it. Before you jump at me, I’m fully aware that many horror films have humor as a point, but a horror-comedy film goes just “a little further” with the jokes, and the comedic feel. Here’s a few examples of horror-comedies to drive my point home:

Like horror-comedy, comedy-horror is the opposite: when it’s mainly a comedy, but it has underlying themes of fear and horror. This is generally the choice genre for parody films; such as Scary Movie. Other examples of comedy-horror include:

While some of you might disagree with a few of the films’ placements on the above lists, these fall under what I consider a horror-comedy or a comedy-horror. It all boils down on what you consider your sense of humor, I suppose. In the past, I’ve talked to people about how they prefer their horror to be hard-hitting – like Evil Dead – with no humor involved, whatsoever, and I certainly understand that, but if you are walking into a horror-comedy or comedy-horror film knowingly; then you really don’t have an excuse to be disappointed when you walk out of the theater. Especially if you walked in willingly and understanding what it is.. Ultimately, I find myself more of a fan of the horror-comedy films. Don’t get me wrong – I love a good comedy-horror, but I find many of them to be more or less the same. They’re not really anything new, sadly..

So now I turn to you, what do you prefer? Are you a fan of the lighter feeling comedy-horror genre? Or do you prefer the films to be a darker and eerier feeling film? Let me know in a comment or two, with your favorite from the genre! If you found yourself to enjoy this article, then please take a minute and follow me over on my Facebook page[it’s at over 100+ likes – only 15 more and we’ll have reached 130!] By clicking that “like” button, you’ll see every post from warrenisweird the very moment it’s been posted online; as well as links to articles and pictures/videos that will not be featured here on the blog. Every “like” helps me a ton, giving me the ability to write more posts for you to read, so be sure to tell the horror enthusiast in your life to do the same, and share The Facebook Page with your family and friends!

THANKS FOR READING.

[sooner and sooner, as we approach October, #weirdoween is coming faster than ever: October on warrenisweirdwill be something to keep your eyes open for! STAY TUNED]

Whether you love him or hate him, Tom Six has made a name for himself in Hollywood; with a trilogy of films that people aren’t exactly proud to say they know by name. With Six’s grand finale – The Human Centipede III: Full Sequence, coming to DVD/Blu ray on October 27th, [read my review on the third film here!] the director is now officially ready to release yet another treat for fans: this time, in the form of his debut film: [which was initially released in 2008!] What The F**k?!, [which is also known as “I Love Dries” in some countries] which will also be coming to home video, with English subtitles, in the near future.. though no exact date has been confirmed as of yet. But, knowing that international audiences are getting a film [albeit, almost 8 years later!] tells me that Six was waiting for the perfect time to re-release it. And Who knows? It’s possible this is a decent film, which’ll help sooth the feeling of how bad Final Sequence was.. There’s no trailer for this film released yet, though I’m sure if you were to dig deep into Youtube, you might be able to find something related from it’s initial release. However, we do have a synopsis for the film, which after reading it, it naturally sounds fucked up! [though, what do we really expect from the man who gave us Human Centipede?] Curious? Read on!

“What the F**k?! is an hilarious black comedy about famous Dutch singer Dries Roelvink, who is kidnapped by his two biggest fans to their trailer in the middle of nowhere. They don’t want an autograph though, but something completely different. As it turns out, the couple’s biggest wish is to have a baby of their own, but the husband is infertile. Dries is forced to live with this gruesome twosome until he gets the woman pregnant..”

If that’s not interesting, I don’t know what is! [I use the term ‘interesting’ very lightly] Because we don’t have anything we can really work with yet, I’ve included the film’s poster and a few screenshots from the film itself below! This way, you can decide for yourself if the film looks worthwhile; or a waste of time..The part that truly raises questions to me, is why Dries Roelvink agreed to play himself? Especially, based on the story! It doesn’t help that reviews I’ve seen online have been somewhat positive..though, the viewers may enjoy this kind of thing..

Once again, no trailer has been released for the film yet – at least, not an international one [don’t hold me to that, there might be no trailer at all.. yet!] but the film has an interesting concept..at least as far as Tom Six goes. The one thing that has me concerned is that it’s a black comedy, [much like Human Centipede III was] meaning it could go either way. Also, being as this is a re-release of Six‘s first film; who knows where it’ll go? As I said above, I’ve read a few positive reviews on this film, and that could be a good thing..or not.

How do you feel though about What The F**k?! ? Is it a unique concept, that will make it become a good watch/a cult classic? Or is it something that’s going to make Tom Six‘s name skyrocket through Hollywood.. as one of the worst directors of this day and age? Let me know in a comment or two! I’m both genuinely concerned, but also curious about the film.. I’ll probably watch it – just to say I did; but for no other reason! Also, if you found yourself to enjoy this film review, please take a minute and follow meover on my Facebook page[it’s at over 100+ likes – only 15 more and we’ll have reached 130!] By clicking that “like” button, you’ll see everypost from warrenisweird the verymoment it’s been posted online; and I alsoshare links to articles and pictures/videos that will not be featured here on the blog. Every “like” helps me a ton, giving me the ability to write more posts for you to read, so be sure to tell the horror enthusiast in your life to do the same, and share The Facebook Page with your family and friends!